Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Data Breach Investigations Report – Education Insights

  • 05/08/19

New York  – Today, Verizon officially released the 2019 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR) - which found that slightly more than one third (35%) of all breaches in the education vertical were due to human error.

The DBIR series provides the most comprehensive view of global cybersecurity based on actual cyberattacks from malware to insider threats to cyber espionage, and this year’s report analyzes more than 41,000 cybersecurity incidents and over 2,000 data breaches from 86 countries. Key findings from the education sector this year include:

  • Approximately one fourth of breaches were web application attacks, most of which were attributable to the use of stolen credentials used to access cloud-based email.
  • There was a noticeable shift towards financially-motivated crime – with nearly 80% of incident motives being financial within the education sector. 
  • Cyber-espionage still a factor in this vertical, in part due to research partnerships with private industry and other sensitive information kept.

Additional findings from the education sector and insights on how to combat attacks can be found on page 38 of the DBIR (available here).

 

Featured

  • Can AI Help Build Stronger Communities in Student Housing?

    Student housing success is shifting from operational performance to student experience, with belonging now at the center. A recent 2025 report underscores a growing emphasis on student well-being, community, and engagement, signaling that expectations now extend beyond logistics to ensure students feel supported in their living environments. AI is enabling that shift by reducing administrative workload and giving teams more time to focus on meaningful student engagement.

  • Philadelphia Middle School Facility Earns LEED Gold Certification

    The Alternative Middle Years (AMY) at James Martin Middle School in Philadelphia, Penn., recently received a LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, according to a news release. The School District of Pennsylvania partnered with KSS Architects on the project.

  • Tennessee Middle School Completes Health, Life Safety Renovations

    The Giles County Board of Education in Pulaski, Tenn., recently announced that a series of renovation projects has been completed at Bridgeforth Middle School, according to a news release. The district partnered with Wold Architects & Engineers and Brindley Construction to modernize building systems at one of the district’s oldest schools.

  • Virginia Tech Tops Out New College of Engineering Building

    Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., recently celebrated the topping out of Mitchell Hall, which will soon stand as the largest College of Engineering building on campus, according to a news release. The university partnered with Skanska on the 285,500-square-foot facility, which has an expected completion date of winter 2028.